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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition June 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week ago
<h3>Prior to the magic going black</h3>
<h3>June 23rd, Caithness</h3>
Pre-dawn on a midsummer morning, Tait Duncan, drove south-east along an A1 empty of all but Highlands-bound supermarket wagons, conscience similarly uncluttered by the lie he’d last night told his wife as to the reason for his early morning departure. (In what had become th…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week, 2 days ago
Well done Jill. A bittersweet story, beautifully told. And well done the rest of us!
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week, 2 days ago
Congrats, Jill.
Looking forward to seeing the prompt for June .
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week, 3 days ago
A fascinating quartet of music-generated memories resulting in stories that couldn’t help but provide their own soundtracks. Ath’s tale fully matched the discordant challenging streetwise vibes of the music chosen. Libby’s rich musical pot-pourri connected brilliantly with the warmth of disparate family interactions. Terrie’s combining ne…[Read more]
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week, 3 days ago
Songs from the charts 31st October 1998 –
Aerosmith ‘I don’t want to miss a thing’
Bachman Turner Overdrive – ‘You aint seen nothing yet.’
Contains one, bleeped, swear word.
True story
This story involves my youngest daughter, who’s the sassy, won’t give an inch if she thinks she is in the right, type, and the anniversar…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 week, 5 days ago
MONTHLY COMP ALERT – I was hoping for earworms, from songs I remember but despite two excellent entries, I feel a little disappointed so more Top Ten memories by Sunday night would be much appreciated.
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Athelstone replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs 1 week, 6 days ago
Thanks, Kate. I’m trying hard to get better.
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Kate replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs 2 weeks ago
I managed to miss this post- Ath. I’m so pleased you are feeling better and hope you can get the rest of the problems sorted. It sounds like a terrifying ordeal, but your story telling still managed to bring the occasional smile. Keep getting better!
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Athelstone replied to the topic The Sheep Detectives film/Three Bags Full novel in the forum Coffee Shop 2 weeks, 6 days ago
I’m not a huge fan of cosy crime, and I think that the television series of TTMC is rather better than the books, although only because the acting is good. However, there are many variations within that genre and I wouldn’t dismiss everything. The same goes for anthropomorphised animal stories. For instance, Charlotte’s Web and Animal Farm spring…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs 3 weeks, 6 days ago
On a small scale, my daughter gave me a voucher for a foraging/cooking day for 2, for my birthday last year, and I’d just booked a day in March when I got ill. When the company heard I was in hospital, they gave me a six month extension on the voucher for free, so that I could book when I was completely recovered. I thought that was really…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs 4 weeks ago
Hi Libby, a very big relief. And thank you. I had another read through my discharge notes. I don’t think they’d seen somebody so ill with such a mixed bag of symptoms before (who hadn’t been in an accident). They took advice from the teams at Guildford, Reading, and Kings. There was a consensus to deal with the immediate emergency which was the…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs 4 weeks ago
Thanks Jill. Yes, it is a big relief.
I’ve been on blood thinners (apixaban) since I was admitted to hospital. My problem is that the hospital doctors didn’t share any plan for dealing with the existing clots which have blocked two major veins to the liver. I strongly suspect that they were anticipating a worse outcome from the endoscopy and…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs 4 weeks, 1 day ago
I hope that this is a footnote, although I forsee a few more tests from my GP.
Today I had the endoscopy which I believe some of the doctors in my hospital thought would show cancer. the symptoms were all lined up. There was even consistent evidence from CAT scans and other X-rays. To be fair to them, they never said that, though they always…[Read more]
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Ath, this is such a huge relief to hear, though I imagine the mindset prepping beforehand must have left you mentally drained. I have polyps and so have to be monitored with colonoscopies every three years – I’m guessing you might be invited to do the same. I hope your quest to find out the cause of the clots and anaemia is soon fruitful and…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month ago
Caution: Stuart’s language isn’t for polite company. The anniversary was my 18th birthday, June 21 1974.
Stuart’s story
People call me Plug ‘cos they reckon I look like Plug from the Bash Street Kids I ain’t never seen him, so I don’t know. Stuart’s my real name, and I just done three months in nick for something I ain’t done. Possessio…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic A bit "poorly" in the forum Blogs 1 month ago
Thanks for the kind wishes, Jill. I know you’ve had your own burden lately, and I was so pleased to hear things were going well. At the moment, progress is good. I’m not using crutches or a frame now around the house and I can make it upstairs 2 or 3 times a week for a shower, all approved by the health visitors. I still have anaemia and run out…[Read more]
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Sandra posted an update 1 month, 1 week ago
May’s monthly comp is up – something to inspire lots of you I hope!
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Sandra started the topic Monthly competition May 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month, 1 week ago
What I’d like you do for May’s competition is
1) choose a significant anniversary in your life: e.g. birthday, wedding, first child: graduation – then,
2 ) Google the UK Top 10 singles chart for that week.
3) select two, three or four song titles from that list and,
4) use them (loosely if necessary!) as a basis for a short story, of…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly Competition April 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month, 1 week ago
Thank you , Terrie, both for the challenge and your comments on both my entry and Jill’s excellently crafted, sensitive story. I’ll aim to set something for June by the end of today.
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition April 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month, 1 week ago
Jill – this story was woven with the muted grey overtones of something unpleasant being cast off. I enjoyed how you linked the idea of metamorphosis with the prompt word butterfly as well as showing the protagonist dealing with the stages of an abusive relationship and its outcome with quiet strength too. Perceptively written.
Sandra, I loved…[Read more]
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition April 2026 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 month, 1 week ago
Just to remind everyone there are only two days left until the end of the April competion and as there are only two entries so far, both equally as worthy of being chosen as the other, I may have to resort to flipping a coin or standing at midnight by candlelight and chanting one of those weird childhood choosing rhymes ….mid…[Read more]
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